Sweethearts
by Castle and Law and order SVU
Summary: How different would have Rick and Kate's life been if they met as kids, fell in love as teens and married earlier on as adults. (Tumblr prompt)
1. Chapter 1

Richard Rodgers walked into his Year one classroom with a big grin on his face, it was his first day at school his eye's were darting quickly around the playground.

"There's a lot to do isn't there?" His teacher Mrs Millar said to him as she watched him look around in excitement.

"Yeah," Rick said his attention mostly on the kids. "I'll show you the classroom and then you can play before the bell rings."

"Okay," Rick said grabbing a hold of her hand so he didn't get lost.

/

The room was big, bigger than his old school the room was split in two with a shelf dividing the room. The front of the room was the classroom with long desk, tiny chairs, name tags on the desk, three tins.

One tin was filled with textas, the second one was filled with colouring and writing pencils and the third had crayons. "You'll be sitting in the second row in the middle next to Kate and Ryan."

"It doesn't have a name on it," Rick said sadly looking up at the teacher "It's coming soon." Mrs Millar said with a smile.

"Can I play now?" He asked. "Yes, of a morning you can play inside the classroom but only in the play area or you can play outside."

"Okay," Rick said walking towards the play area.

The play area had a table in the centre of colouring in, in one corner was colourful bean bags and a couple of books on the ground. The other corner had building blocks and the shelves were filled with woven baskets that had labels of what toys were in the baskets.

Once he looked around the play area he ran outside to see what you could play with out there. The playground had plenty of grass with a jungle gym, a basketball court, handball court, soccer nets and plenty of other things to play with.

Rick decided to play on the jungle gym, they had a jungle gym at his old school but only the big kids were allowed to play on it.

The bell went and the kids started to pack away what they were playing with and headed into their classrooms, Rick was having so much fun on the jungle gym that he didn't want to go in but he also didn't want to get in trouble.

"Do you need help, getting down?" A teacher said to him. "No thanks," Rick said handing towards the slide.

/

When Rick got into the classroom it was alive with kids in their seats talking to the person next to them. He looked over at his desk and saw Kate was on the right of his desk and Ryan was on the left of his desk.

Kate had brunette hair tied up in pigtails with a Mets baseball jersey on, Ryan had light brown hair, a striped top on with a vest.

Rick watched as a boy with dark hair reached over to pull on Kate's hair. "Ouch Stop it," Kate said as a boy behind her pulled on her pigtails.

The brown hair boy next to him laughed. "Do it again," He said tapping his shoulder.

The boy reached over again and pulled on her pigtails again. "Josh," Kate said turning around to face him. "Stop it." She growled and then turned back around.

Rick headed for his seat and sat down. "Who are you?" Kate asked in confusion. "I'm Rick."

"Ow," Kate said once again as Josh reached over to pull her hair once again. "Stop," Kate told him again. "I don't want to." Josh kept repeatedly pulled on her hair nearly making her cry.

"Cut it out." Rick said butting in but Josh didn't listen.

Rick picked up texta and throwing it at Josh getting him in the eye. "Ow." He let go of Kate's hair right away and covered his eye.

"What's going on here?" Mrs Millar asked.

"The new kid blinded Josh." The brown hair boy said angrily.

"Rick." The teacher said shocked. "He wouldn't stop pulling Kate's hair," Rick said above a whisper.

"Rick we don't throw things at people, if we don't like what someone is doing we say stop."

"Sorry Mrs Millar," Rick said. "Now Mr Davidson, I want you to go to sick bay to get an ice pack for your eye, then to the principles office you've been very naughty."

"Mrs Millar, can you fix my pigtails?" Kate asked. "Yes, I can," She said walking over to Kate.

"Do I have to go to principal office?" Rick asked. "No just don't do it again."

/

Rick sat with Kate at lunch they talked about zombie apocalypses, spies and other fantasy things, By the end of morning tea they were best friends.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is not my best work, I did try to avoid the cliche, but I couldn't come up with anything else like I had the worst writer's block EVER! So it's 10.40 at night and decided to go with the cliche that I was trying to avoid. Please review**

It was 7:30 on a Friday night, endless lines of people waiting at nightclubs, prostitutes flooded the streets the city was alive it was alive every night, but there was just something about Friday nights.

Downtown In a crowded fancy restaurant a man and his daughter waited for the third person to come.

"Dad, where is she?"

"I don't know sweetie?" Jim Beckett said checking his watch. "Court got out half an hour ago, Maybe she went home to change and shower, or went out for a drink to celebrate but she'll be here."

"Okay." Kate shrugged her shoulders and looked through the menu for the hundredth time.

It was an hour later and Johanna still hadn't showed up yet, Jim and Kate decided to leave the restaurant. It took awhile to get back to their house in Manhattan due to traffic jams.

"James Beckett?" A man asked as they were about to go up the stairs to their townhouse.

"Yes."

"Detective John Raglan." The man said flashing his badge. "How can I help you, detective?"

"Mr Beckett, I'm so sorry, but your wife has been murdered."

"Murdered..as in dead...Jo's dead." Jim said in shock.

"I'm sorry Mr Beckett."

Jim heard his daughters cries from behind him, Jim turned around and hugged his daughter right away. "We need you to come downtown for questioning?" Raglan told him.

"What about my daughter?"

"Yes."

/

It was ten o" clock when they arrived back at their home, both were shaken up. Kate went to her room, Jim went into his and Johanna's office opened a bottle of whiskey and started drinking hoping that would ease the pain.

After hugging and crying into her pillow, she wiped the tears that continued to drip down her cheeks, She was still dressed in her dress from dinner so she took that off and put on her maroon sweatpants and her grey jumper on.

She then went back to her bed and cuddled her pillow and started crying again.

/

Kate didn't sleep that night all she did was cry, she wanted this to be a bad dream, but sadly this was her life now.

When she reached the kitchen downstairs, it didn't feel right her mother wasn't in their cooking breakfast.

Kate sat down at the breakfast table not knowing what she wanted to have for breakfast or if she wanted to eat breakfast. "Morning." Her dad said groggy his breath reeking of whiskey.

"Dad?"

"Yes, sweetie?" He said rubbing his temples. "Please don't drink?" Kate begged him.

"Katie, it helps numb the pain."

"Please dad, I can't lose you to drinking," Kate begged this time with tears building up in her eye.

Jim opened his eye's to see the pain in his daughters eyes. "Your right sweetheart, I'm so sorry," Jim said standing up walking over to her. "I'll go through the house and throw out any alcohol we have," Jim said kissing her forehead.

/

An hour later the doorbell rang and Kate knew who it was. She hadn't called to tell Rick about her mother's death mainly cause it was late and she was in too much shock to talk about it.

"Kate? Why aren't you ready for school?" He asked when she opened the door. Kate crashed into her boyfriend's chest and started sobbing again.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked running his fingers through her hair.

Kate pulled away from his chest and wiped her tears away once again. "Last night dad and I went to a restaurant and waited for my mom, but she never showed up so we went home but when we got home there was a detective that told us that she had been murdered."

"Murdered?" Rick asked shocked. "Stabbed in an alleyway."

"Kate, I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do?"

"Just be there for me."

"Always," Rick said pulling her into a hug.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is set a year after Johanna Beckett's murder.**

"That's odd," Jim said putting the mail on the kitchen counter. "What's odd?" Kate asked as she poured some milk into her cereal.

"Should you got your acceptance letter from Standford by now."

Kate dropped the milk that spilled all over the floor, she had been putting off the talk of dad "I don't want to be a lawyer I want to be a detective with the NYPD"

"You did apply right?" Jim asked as he watched his daughter clean up the milk in a panic.

Jim waited for his answer but didn't receive one till Kate had finished cleaning up spilled milk. "No," Kate said not wanting to look into his eyes.

"I'm going to stay in New York and study Criminal justice, join the NYPD work hard and become a homicide detective."

"Homicide?" Jim asked shocked. "Katie it's so dangerous."

"Dad, mom's murder wasn't a random gang violence."

"Sweetie the detective's did all they could and all they got was dead leads."

"I'm sorry dad, But I'm doing this," Kate said grabbing her cereal bowl and sitting at the table.

"Katie." Her dad said sitting down across from her. "If you do this you'll find yourself in a rabbit hole, if you do this you'll lose your friends, Rick and yourself."

"I guess that's the price you have to pay for justice." Kate shrugged her shoulders.

"Katie, I want to know who did this, I want them to rot and die in a jail cell, but your mother died for justice and I don't think she would want to walk in her footsteps and die the same way, I've already lost my wife I refuse to lose my daughter as well," Jim said in his firm voice, that he only used in the courtroom.

"I need this closure, I'm doing it whether you want me to or not."

"Kate it's not closure it's mourning These people are dangerous we need to walk away and stay away."

/

"I've figured it out?" Rick said sitting at the lunch table, the next day at school. "Figured what out?"

"When we leave school you're going to Stanford in Calfroina and I'm going to stay in New York and try to get published with The Black Pawn, but If I don't get published by The Black Pawn I'll move to California with you and try to get published there."

"Rick." Kate cut him off. "What's the matter?" Rick asked when he saw the serious look on Kate's face.

"I'm staying in New York."

"Are you still going to be a lawyer?"

"I want to be a detective...I want to solve my mother's murder."

"Kate.."

"I know." Kate cut him off. "My dad told me, It's dangerous and I'll most likely go down a rabbit hole, but If I do," Kate said with tears dripping down her cheeks.

Rick cupped her cheek and wiped away the tears, Kate held onto his hand that was on her cheek. "If I lose myself...I want you to know how much I love you and I'll always love you no matter what."

"Kate you won't go down the rabbit hole If you ever feel you're going down the rabbit hole I'll grab your hand and I'll try to pull you out, But if you don't let me or hold onto my hand I don't want to do it but I'll have to let you go down the rabbit hole."

"Please don't let me go down the rabbit hole." Kate pleaded with tears down her cheeks. "I don't want to lose you, Rick."

 **I'm a** caskett **lover and I'm also a fan of Beckett so if you're going to go on a hate rant..not on this story.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I know that last chapter I wrote, that Johanna's murder was in 1999 but for timeline reasons I'm going with 1991 three years before Alexis birth which in the show is 1994.**

1993

He knew that they were young, just fresh out of high school Kate had just got into law school and he was working on his book to send into The Black Pawn.

As he walked into a jewelry shop, he didn't like his chance's of getting Kate a beautiful ring. The only ring he could afford at this stage was a plastic one most likely.

"Can I help you, Sir?" A middle age man asked him in a proper tone as Rick was looking at the rings till she found the perfect one.

"How much is that one?" Rick asked pointing to the vintage. "One thousand and seventy-five."

"For a ring," Rick said really loudly in shock. "Sir keep your voice down."

"Sorry, I was just a little shocked."

"Maybe Wallmart might be more to your liking." The man said walking away with his nose stuck up.

/

"Richard, what are you moping about?" Martha said walking into the lounge room to see Rick moping on the lounge.

"I really need the Black Pawn to publish my book."

"What happened did they reject your book?"

"No, I haven't finished it," Rick mumbled. "What is it?"

"Crime/Mystery."

"Don't play dumb with me Richard we know you're smarter than that."

"I found the most beautiful engagement ring, but one thousand and seventy-five dollars."

"Engagement ring?" Martha asked shocked. "I know were young and we just graduated high school Kate is someone I want to spend my life with and have kids with."

"Darling I know you're a hopeless romantic that wants a happy ending and I like Katherine don't get me wrong but as a mother I need to look out for my son and his heart."

"Thank you, mother, for your concern but I trust Kate with my heart."

/

The next day Martha went to a lunch with a stage director or a least that's what she told her son. She walked down the street to a jewelry shop she didn't have one thousand and seventy-five dollars to buy her son the ring that he wanted to buy Katherine.

But that doesn't mean she couldn't look around for a cheaper version. "This better be worth it kiddo," Martha mumbled under her breath as she opened the glass door to Michelle's.

/

"How was your lunch?" Rick asked over dinner. "I made up the lunch with the director," Martha said coming clean.

"Why?"

"I'll be back darling," Martha said excusing herself from the table.

A couple of minutes later Martha brought down a light pink bag with Michelle's in back writing on it. She placed it on the table right next to Rick who was confused when he looked up.

"Mother, I'm touched but jewelry not really my thing." Rick joked. "Just open it, darling," Martha said drinking her wine.

Rick undid the silver ribbon that was on top of the bag and then pulled out a tiny box that matched the bag. He opened the box to see an engagement ring...it was beautiful it may not have been the ring he wanted to give Kate, but it was still beautiful.

"It may not be the ring you wanted to buy, but I looked around and it was a more reasonable price," Martha explained.

"How and when should I give it to her?" Rick asked still studying the ring. "When the time is right and nothing to over the top."

"But when is the right time?"

"A year or two, you and Katherine still have things to figure out before you settle down."

Rick was a little disappointed by his mother answer he wanted to purpose to Kate right now and not in two years. But after a little he agreed if he wanted to keep Kate in his future he would need to take things slow.

/

Two Nikki Heat books later and a Criminal Justice degree later.

Rick who was now Richard Castle, The Black Pawn thought name Richard Castle would sell more Books than Richard Rodgers.

Rick and Kate had moved in with each other into a loft While Rick was moving in his stuff he had found the Michelle box that held the engagement ring there was a note with the ring that said.

The time is now.

Good luck Richard,

Love your mother.

/

For the whole entire day, Rick thought of nothing but the perfect proposal when he got it, He thought of his mother's words "Nothing over the top"

Rick sat on the lounge watching tv and eating Ice cream, his plan was to act like it was a regular night and when she was cuddled up to him, Rick would slip the ring onto her finger and hope she would say yes.

Kate arrived home from studying at the library at six. "Hey," Rick said to her as she locked the door behind her.

"Hi," Kate said sounding tired as she walked over to him and crashed in his arms.

He put the ice cream down and wrapped his arms around her. "Is there any ice cream left?" Kate asked eyeing off the tub of ice cream that Rick had just sat down.

"Yep."

"I'm so hungry, but I feel like I need a shower." Kate complained.

"Maybe you could eat it in the bath?" Rick suggested. "That's actually a good idea babe," Kate said starting to get off Rick's chest.

"Hang on wait, I have to show you something," Rick said in a panic. "What is it?" Kate asked resting her head back on her boyfriends chest wanting to know what had him so panicked.

Kate watched in shock..was this really happening

as Rick slipped a ring onto her finger. "Rick is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, please tell me that your answer is a yes also."

"You're in luck babe, Cause it's a yes to be your wife."

 **I tried to attach a link to the engagement ring but it didn't work, so if you look up in google images you should find it. Cheap engagement rings it should be the first image.**


	5. Chapter 5

**So a reviewer pointed out to me that, you need pre-law in college, LSAT and then law school, Fictional world Fictional School. I did the research and it confused me so much. Also I don't know how good this chapter is not feeling too great about it, I did do some more research cause I've only been to one wedding which was like ages ago.**

Six months after the engagement and the day had arrived and so had the nerves. Kate had never really had any friends that were girls growing up her friend was mainly Rick, but the groom couldn't you be your maid of honor.

So she asked Rick's cousin Eve to be her maid of honor and Evie's brother Mark was Rick's best man.

Rick was trying to do his tie but couldn't cause he was getting a bit distracted by Mark's heavy breathing. Rick rolled his eye's as he looked over to see Mark sitting in the corner with his head hanging in his hands.

"You okay Mark?"

"Yeah man, just a bit nervous."

"Nervous, Mark all you have to do is stand next to me, I'm the one getting married here."

"I've never been one for standing up in front of heaps of people."

"Why did you say yes then to being my best man."

"I'm not sure...do you have any strong to drink."

"There's a mini bar over there," Rick said pointing to the mini fridge. "Thanks," Mark said rushing up to the fridge.

/

Meanwhile, Kate couldn't stop coughing from the hairspray sounding her. "Do you think, I over did it?"

"Did you use the whole bottle?"

"Yep."

"I think that answers your question."

"I'm sorry Kate, I just wanted to keep your hair beautiful."

"It's okay Eve," Kate said standing up. "Thank you for doing my hair."

"It's okay, I have my hairdressing exam soon, but I think I'm going to fail it."

"Cut down on the hairspray and you'll pass with flying colors," Martha said walking out into the main lounge room out of her hotel room.

"Okay, Auntie Martha."

"Anyway Katherine darling, it's time to put on your dress."

"Could you help me, Martha?"

"I would love to darling."

/

"What do you think?" Kate asked once the dress was on.

"I think you're the most beautiful bride, I've ever seen," Martha said trying to hold back her tears. "And I'm so proud to have you as my daughter," Martha said embracing Kate.

Kate nearly cried also, the word daughter hit her hard her mother was supposed to be with on her special day.

/

The wedding was beautiful a sunset wedding on the beach at the Hamptons, Her dad walked her down the aisle, the perfect man was waiting for her at the end of the aisle...all though the best man did look a bit uneasy, But she wasn't going to let that ruin her moment.

Nothing could ruin this moment.

"Do you Richard Rodgers, take Katherine Beckett to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The minister asked him.

"Yes, I do," Rick said with a big smile.

"Do you Katherine Beckett, take Richard Rodgers to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

"By the authority vested in me by the State of New York, I pronounce to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Castle."

"Well go on kiss her?" They heard Martha say from the front row, The guest, and even the newlyweds broke out into laugher.

Once the laughter started to die down, Rick wrapped his arm around his wife's waist and pulled her close. Kate wrapped her arms around her husbands neck and kissed him as the kiss turned more passionate Kate's arm slipped from his neck and her hands cupped his cheeks.

The guest stood up, some clapped, some cheered and there was an odd couple of guest that wolf whistled. When they pulled away from the kiss, Rick whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," Kate whispered back with a big smile on her face.

/

Rick and Kate spend nearly all night on the dance floor, swaying in each others arms not wanting the night to end.

"Was your Cousin drunk at the wedding?" Kate said to Rick as she watched Mike stumble onto his chair with another drink.

"To help settle the nerves." Rick joked. "Were you nervous?" Kate asked.

"No, cause I was marrying my one done," Rick said kissing her temple. "Where you nervous?" Rick asked.

"No," Kate said a hint of sadness.

Rick felt a tear drop on his neck ."Hey." Rick whispered kissing her temple. "What's the matter?"

"I miss my mom, I always pictured that she would be here with me, not that I don't love Martha, but I just wanted my mom so much."

"How about before we leave for our honeymoon tomorrow, we stop by the graveyard and we have a talk with her."

"Really," Kate asked with a smile. "Yes."

Kate ran her fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck. "I love you," She whispered in his ear.

"Always, my love," Rick whispered in her ear.


	6. Chapter 6

True to his word, Rick called the driver asking if they could stop by the cemetery before the went to their honeymoon to the Maldives.

They spent half an hour at Johanna's grave talking to her about the wedding. The Maldives was a beautiful dreamy paradise that neither of them could believe was a real part of the world.

But sometime soon they had to return to reality, they came back to New York expecting for everything to change but...nothing really did change New York was the same as any other day and they continued on with their lives and routines.

Four months into their marriage the subject of children came up, They both decided that they need to adjust more into married life and they both had things to do in their careers and life in general before they had a baby.

But they didn't take long till they give in after only six months after the wedding, They brought and researched nearly every book on convincing, foods to avoid and positions that helped you get pregnant.

Kate went to a doctor to see if she was fertile and even pushed Rick to go to the doctor to see if he had a low sperm count for convincing.

Once the doctor results were in Kate went off her birth control and they started to try for a baby.

The first time Kate brought a pregnancy test, They brought one together with springs in their steps and big grins on their face's.

It took three time's to get a positive which they were expecting to happen.

Finally after their fifth pregnancy test they got a positive, they were so excited they were having a baby together...starting a family and they couldn't wait.

But sometimes even on the sunniest of day's a dark cloud can come over, The smiles and grins fade away and are replaced with endless tears dripping down your cheeks.

Rick got home from his meeting at The Black Pawn, He was originally planned to go on a book tour half way through Kate's pregnancy so he could take a couple of months of writing, meetups in the city and book tours so he could help Kate look after the baby.

But due to their loss The Black Pawn allowed him to take a couple of days off to recover, He saw Kate on the window seat with her head against the window the tears streaming down her tear-stained cheeks.

He walked towards her and kissed her cheek, but Kate didn't take any notice she was in a world of her own to help escape the grief.

Rick took his wife in his arms, her hands held onto the blue fabric on his t-shirt, He walked to their bedroom and placed her on their unmade bed.

Rick got in next to her to wrap his arms around her, he learnt when her mother died that all the words in the world couldn't comfort her but just allowing her to sink into his arms and flood his t-shirt or neck with tears was all she need.

When he wrapped his arm around her, Rick laced his fingers with her and kissed her cheek whenever a tear would run down her cheek.

"I know this is going to sound selfish," Kate said in a croaky tone. "And I know this is something we wanted so much, But I just can't do it again...I can't grow an attachment only to lose them and.."

"I understand," Rick said kissing her temple. "Thank you, Rick."

/

A year after their tragic loss they decided to try again.

They did the same things they did the last time they got pregnant only this time.

Kate hoped that they would make it past two months

On the third pregnancy test, they got pregnant again. "I don't want to celebrate," Kate asked sitting on the bed with her head down. "Is that bad?' Kate asked.

"No," Rick said coming to sit next to her and take his hand in hers, Kate rested her head on his shoulder and Rick kissed the top of her head. "Everything is going to work out this time," Rick said.

/

They celebrated when they passed the third month and also decided to tell Martha and Jim who were thrilled about having a grandchild.

"Alright let's go we don't want to be late," Kate said walking out into the lounge room. "Sweetie?"

"What?"

"You're not dressed."

"Yes I'm, now let's go."

"You're wearing sweatpants and a jumper that you slept in."

Kate dropped the car keys back in the key bowl and stormed into the bedroom slamming the door behind you...it was only in a matter of seconds that Rick started to hear his wife's tears.

With a sigh, Rick stood up and knocked on the bedroom door. "Sweetie?"

"GO AWAY...I HATE YOU!" Kate said in between tears. "I'm sorry about what I said if you want to wear sweatpants and a jumper to the doctors you can."

Rick waited for a response he was about to knock again with her heard her footsteps approaching the door. "Thank you," Kate said opening the door.

"I look like a whale in any other clothes."

"What happened to the dress we bought the other day, you loved them?"

"I look like a whale in them."

"No, you don't, now let's go before were late."

/

That appointment they found out they were expecting a little girl, The couple wanted to go straight out and buy what they needed for the nursery for their baby girl.

"So what shop do you want to go to first?" Rick asked first as they walked hand in hand out of the obstetrician. "Do you mind if we have lunch first, I'm starving?"

"Sure, I know Remy's is out cause it makes the baby feel sick so where do you want to go?"

"Do you mind if we go home, I'm getting really tired and my back is killing me."

"Mayo, lettuce and egg sandwich coming up," Rick said with a smile kissing her cheek.

/

"You never know how many colours there are till, you have to pick one," Rick said rubbing his temples, the colours giving him a headache.

"I'm thinking light purple colours and light wood, maybe a maple wood, " Kate said looking at the purple section.

"Someone's being doing planning behind my back." Rick joked. "Like most little girls I planned my wedding, my children's names, what the nursery would look like and..." She trialled off when she saw the grin on Ricks' face. "So did our wedding fulfill your dreams?"

"Well you're no John Stamos... but I'll get over it." Kate teased.


End file.
